Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1887-09-29
WOMAN'S DEPARTMENT.
TOM AND CONSCIENCE.


gument.
Lots of women know Tom, and the
story of his little confab with Con-
science will be sufficient introduction
to the rest.
He was man of average intelli-
gence, as also of average stupidity,
having often convinced himself that
God made woman with nothing in her
hand but the dish-cloth and the duster,
while under mans arm, at his making,
He tucked the ballot-box, the jug and
the to5acco.box, as the source of manly
government for two sexes.
Well, one day he sat in his tip-back
chair reading his favorite daily, when
report of woman-suffrage conven-
tion ran under his eye and set him to
making homemade editorials.
"Now, there's wife," quoth Tom to
Tom; "she's uncommon smart at all
she ever tried (wouldn't thrash the
fellow that said she WASN'T; but.
pshaw! what's she know bout tariff
on wool, civil service, bogus butter,
an plooro-newmoney, ehP"
Then he chuckled to himself in the
looking-glass opposite, and was about
to resume his paper, when Conscience
glanced up into his face and whispered:
Tom, dear, all people are dull
touching things they never rubbed
against. You run your saw-mill well;
but you couldn't run a cotton-mill,
nor bake batch of bread like Lucy's;
and when she has hand in the loaf of
State Government, she'll study to
mould that, too, light and sweet, and
do it to turn in the oven of public
service"
MAY be so, Conscience; but. bless
me! she studies up thing nough now l
wish she didn't-no need O. missions
an temperance, night-schools and
tinkerin' for the poor. I'd jest like to
have one field left she didn't take in
terest 'nough in to watch me-"
"Ah, Tom! now you're honest; for
the voting women certainly will know
more of mems political conduct, and
excuse less. So, too, Lucy, you say,
now thinks and labors for others, also;
but still she's good housekeeper,
isn't shep"
Yes, ma am! best in town, cause
she don't vote. If she votes, the
doughnuts'll all turn into books an
thoughts on reforming every body, an
she'll come to respect herself for all
she's worth; then other folks will, too.
Why, she might get to be head O. the
family. l tell you, woman should be
kept tumble like, as in parts O. France
she has to get married in mournin' !;
an that showed model wife-that
old London sign-board as had painted
on it female figger without a head,
an marked The Good Woman.
"Yes Tom," said Conscience,
sternly, sin those days men were
brutes."
"Say, Conscience, keep still, can't
you! Woman was made to fry fish for
man; be his sewin machine, too; and
when she's out O. apple dumpln's, she's
outen her sphere. She's good 'nough
for me rs she be-"
Tom, man, you need her the very
best she can be-"
"Well, well, well! Somehow 1 feel
It in my bones as suffrage is a-comin'
to her. I'm 'fraid, too, Lucy won vote
my way every time, cause she pious,
like lots on 'em. They'll vote pious,
too, l reckon; an then, oh. dear me!
poor Tom'll lose his tansy bitters. No,
ma'am, Miss Conscience; l guess I'm
for keepin' suffrage in the masculine
gender"
Just once more, and thoughtfully in
earnest, good Conscience beamed up
into his face and said:
Beloved Tom, I'm your best friend;
kindly and carefully hear me. AS you
say, woman is pious; her nature looks
upward as tar as natures God. and the
more it lays hand upon all that is true
and helpful, the more womanly wife
and inspiring mother she'll be.
Woman never can become a bad wife
and mother through leave to make the
State guardian of the treasures dearest
to wife and mother. Wouldn't sou feel
disgraced, Tom, if disfranchiscdp And
don't your bright wife and daughter
feel it as keenlys You know you never
grew so fast as the morning you
awoke twenty-one. But Lucy'll vote
away your bitters, you say. So she
will; but think how the loss of your bit.
ters will sweeten the life of you both.
She'll not, though, vote away your ap
pie dumplings; she'll only vote the
peaceful flavor of her home into all the
country, and then all the country will
respect her home. Indeed, Ton, i
you'll vote as l tell you. Lucy'll always
vote with you; and if she be half as re
ligious as you say, will not her vot,
cleanse the filthy pool of poliriesr O
sic YOU fear Lusccyy'!! be soiledp Men an,
women mingle safely on the street, il
the shop. the cars, the post-office, tn
public audience; may they not keel
harmless while voting. Surely, Tom
If the men who vote be not fit for Luc,
to walk near for moment at the polls
they're not fit to make laws for her
and if your voting-plaoe be too filth
for your wife to step into, perhaps
dear man, it's proof of your unfitnes
nothers-proof that the place need
her. Do think of these things. Tom
dear"
Well, Tom did go back to his saw
mill thoughtful; the bark slipped fror
his thoughtless prejudice; and to-day
in his esteem, Lucy stands by his side
not a slab from the log of creation
| hut a cut straipht-prained and cleal